Another U.S. Tourist Arrested In Turks & Caicos Over Ammo

Another American tourist has been arrested in the Caribbean country of Turks and Caicos after authorities allegedly discovered ammunition in their luggage. According to a report from NBC Boston, the arrest came on Monday, May 13, as authorities conducted a routine security check at Howard Hamilton International Airport Monday. Rumor says that this time, a female tourist was arrested, but the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police have not confirmed the name or gender yet.

This is the fifth such arrest in recent months, and the American tourists involved now face serious jail time. We told you about a similar case only a few days back, with an Oklahoma man currently working his way through the islands’ justice system.

Previously, visitors who forgot ammo in their luggage and were caught by Turks and Caicos authorities had the option to pay a fine for ammo brought into the country by accident. That changed months ago when the country’s leaders said they were tired of the ongoing problem.

In response, the U.S. State Department has issued two warnings over the issue, telling American travelers to be very careful when traveling to Turks and Caicos. The NRA has taken a similar step. A recent write-up on the NRA website detailed the issue, with quotes and details from families involved. The mother of Michael Grim, another recently incarcerated tourist, told the NRA the prison Grim was held in “had been sanctioned by the U.N. for unsanitary conditions.”

That story ended with this comment:

U.S. gun owners may want to take the Turks and Caicos Islands’ actions into account before risking a trip to the Caribbean jurisdiction. Even U.S. gun owners confident in their ability to purge their luggage of any potential contraband may want to consider the wisdom of spending their money in a jurisdiction that would treat their countrymen in such a manner.

As the vast majority of visitors to the islands are Americans, a sharp decline in their tourism would certainly be noticed. But if you are going to go to Turks and Caicos, despite the issues others have faced? The best advice at this point is to triple-check your luggage to make sure there’s nothing in there that doesn’t belong.